What You Should Know About the Rollkur Issue

Billie at Camera-Obscura has written a great primer on the practice of rollkur, the controversy, and what you as an individual can do about it.  I can't recommend it enough!

This disgusting practice has gone on too long.  Sadly, many feel unqualified to question it and most of us have felt powerless to stop it, but we are not alone; there is now a growing outrage at the practice and a community of concerned horsemen denouncing this horror and offering humane, classical alternatives.  Together we can make out voices count.

I hope you'll check out this excellent post here.

or cut and paste:

http://camera-obscura-billie.blogspot.com/2009/11/rollkur-101-what-you-need-to-know-to.html



also, more here on GEC:   Rollkur

Comments

  1. billie has done an excellent job on this subject and a lot of research too. I hope thousands upon thousands of people sign the petitions and the FEI finally changes it's outlook on this practice.

    By the way I know Anky wasn't the subject of the Blue Tongue video but in my opinion she is one of the worst and most evil riders who employs Rollkur constantly. If anyone watches her interview video she actually says "I don't have a clue". To which I can only respond...really? I hope someday her sponsors drop her and find someone who knows how to ride.

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  2. Thanks for the link!

    I read earlier that there are 6000+ signatures on the two petitions combined, and also that one of Patrik Kittel's sponsors, LVM Insurance, have announced they are planning to drop his sponsorship b/c of all the emails and complaints they're getting about the video.

    If sponsors take this stance with riders and trainers who use these techniques, I think we'll see a huge shift away from them.

    Not for the right reason, of course, but if the abusive riding stops I'm happy.

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  3. :poke: It's been way too long since you posted, jme! You ok? Any new words of wisdom for us? I miss your writing!

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  4. thanks funder! i miss posting too! and it has been a while since i've caught up on your blog :-( i will have to get my act together and try to make some more time for posting and reading!

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  5. Just found your blog and read your interesting piece on crest release. Here in Ireland we are not so structured in our training and I have naturally developed a following release which I have been trying to remove as per the manuals! Thanks to your article I shall leave my hands where they want to be.

    Also posted a bit on Rollkur recently - http://pbjots.blogspot.com/2010/01/freeze-flood-rollkur-and-riding.html

    Look forward to reading more of your posts.

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  6. hi phoebe, thanks for stopping by! i'm glad you've found the posts of interest. i have a lot of respect for the irish riding style, which seems a lot more natural than what we're usually taught here - at least that's what i saw when i was there... i say, go with what feels right :-) looking forward to checking out your blog - thanks for the link!

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